Omar Marmoush is destroying the Bundesliga.

The Egyptian has proven indispensable to a resurgent Eintracht Frankfurt, with his dynamic footwork and finishing talent bringing many defenders to their knees.

“The way he has gotten involved and won over the crowd, not to mention how decisive his goals and assists are, it is clear that he feels at home here,” Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller told the German sports magazine. kicker.

While it is now difficult to imagine the Bundesliga without Marmoush’s name in the headlines, the 25-year-old’s first years in Germany were far from easy.

Marmoush’s Egyptian Education

“When I was a kid I dreamed of being a professional footballer. And sometimes at school I wasn’t exactly the best, so it was my only way,” Marmoush told DFL.

Born and raised in Cairo, Marmoush, like many, dreamed of a football life from a young age. Although he says his parents were initially skeptical of his love for the sport and hoped he would focus more on his education, he soon won them over.

“After I started taking bigger steps, they saw the potential and said, ‘Okay, you can do this.’ They support me every day, they are the most important thing in my life,” Marmoush said.

The Egyptian started playing at the American International School in Cairo, where he also attended classes. The school’s football coach, Ahmed Elagroudy, still remembers him vividly when he was young.

“Since Marmoush was in seventh grade, it was obvious that he was going to be a brilliant football player. I could see it on the field, he was one of our main players,” Elagroudy told the DFL.

The strengths that distinguish Marmoush today were already evident in Cairo. “As he got older, things got even better. It started to become clear that he is a great goal scorer, it’s like his foot always knows the way to the goal.”

Elagroudy encouraged his student to make the jump to nearby Wadi Degla in the Egyptian Premier League. After just a few weeks in his youth setup, he was promoted to the first team and made enough of an impression to earn a ticket to represent Egypt at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2017.

A rocky start to the Bundesliga

Marmoush’s AFCON appearance caught the attention of Wolfsburg, and the Bundesliga side lured the 18-year-old forward to Germany, signing him to their reserves. As exciting as the jump to Europe was, it was a difficult transition.

“It was not an easy step to leave my family, my friends and my country to come live here in Germany, where I don’t know the language, the food, everything, honestly,” Marmoush said. “And this was the biggest challenge, not only playing in these European conditions and how fast football is, but also on the mental side. It took me a little time to learn to live here.”

Three years later, at the age of 21, Marmoush broke into Wolfsburg’s first team to make his Bundesliga debut.

Loans to then second division St. Pauli and later Stuttgart showed flashes of brilliance, but he was far from a household name. Despite some spectacular goals, the 2022/23 season turned out to be Marmoush’s last at Wolfsburg as he headed south to Frankfurt, free that off-season.

Frankfurt fan favorite and Egypt impact

Dino Toppmöller’s Eintracht, where high pressure and fast, direct play are king, proved to be perfect for Marmoush. Last season he enjoyed a career-best 16 goals in all competitions, laying the foundations for this season’s impressive form. Marmoush’s performances have also led to the blossoming of a partnership with strike partner Hugo Ekitike. All in all, it is no surprise that there are reports that Premier League side Liverpool are interested in signing the Egyptian.

His excellent form has also cemented Marmoush’s role in the Egyptian national team. Although he was eligible to play for Canada because his parents worked there long enough to obtain citizenship, he chose to represent the country of his birth and made his debut with the full team in 2021. He played in every match of the postponed 2022 AFCON in which Egypt finished runner-up. up, before scoring in the tournament two years later, when Egypt lost on penalties in the round of 16.

Marmoush is now an established international and regularly appears alongside his personal hero Mo Salah.

“It is a great pleasure. I am very happy when I am in the national team and play with one of the best players in the world. Learning from him, both on and off the field, and how he works.” and his (Salah) professionalism is like an older brother to me,” Marmoush said.

At 32, Salah’s time as Egypt’s team leader is coming to an end, opening the door for Marmoush to be the next focal point of the attack. He has already established himself as such at Frankfurt, who are now enjoying their form and at the same time wondering how they are going to keep their Egyptian star in Frankfurt colors for as long as possible.

Edited by: Jonathan Harding